JAM PACKED FUN ALL DAY LONG......

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

JAM PACKED FUN ALL DAY LONG......

…as Amy, Nikka and I started last Saturday with a Center Theatre Group Season Preview Event... Brunch at the Montage Hotel in the Marquesa Ballroom.

Ahhhhh……bacon!

When the day starts out like this you know you’re in for a ton of fun!

Always wonderful to see Natalie!

Thank you Jennifer for the beautiful centerpiece which found a perfect home in my studio.

A stop at the Montage Gift Shop to see Lissi Kaplan’s treasures…..

We ventured forth from the Montage without a plan. I saw two gals with bags from Taschen, one of my happy places, so off we went….headed down Beverly Blvd. Our first stop…Mitchel Gold + Bob Williams where Amy fell in love with this chair and said she would marry anyone who bought it! Price with tax, over $7,000.00. Of course she’s already married but when a chair like this comes along….Linda W. said “She looks like a beautiful bird in a cage."

This classic chevy was in immaculate condition. Beautiful to see!

Of course I have to take a photo of every puppy I see. Here we have another classic….this time, a Beverly Hills doggie!

Here’s where the journey really got interesting….We met David Rafaeli, owner of the Templar Diamond and had great fun talking with him.

To top it off, David gave each of us a beautiful bracelet to match our outfits!

It was right outside of Sephora on Beverly Blvd. and happened to be their opening day. To celebrate they had several hearty young men take people around on their 'vehicles’.

Of course we had to do it so up Beverly we went and then circled around Rodeo passing Hermes where we waved and shouted hello to Reza. Funny part of that was he was inside at the time!

I’m so glad I thought to be dropped off at Taschen….saved us a lot of walking!

Thank you Amy for this beautiful book of my favorite city. Well, next to Kyoto…and of course New York!

And thank you for this acrylic book stand that I immediately put to good use. It’s soooo cool!

Heading back we had to stop in at ‘Monnalisa’, THE shop for exquisite dresses and such for little girls. Everything is created in Italy with magnificent designs, fabrics and prices to match!

‘My Dream is to Fly’ is seen on this precious dress.

Amy fell in love with this one…..even tried it on…it almost fit!

Oh well. Forgot where we met Charlie….

But this pooch was dining at Bar Bouchon…our final stop.

Nikka had a prosciutto & brie panini…..(you can see her bracelet…it’s similar to mine).

Amy & I opted for the ahi tuna….

The real reason we love Bar Bouchon? Foie Gras de Canard!!! Oh my….can’t begin to describe it’s lusciousness!

May your week be luscious!

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Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.